On December 20, the Chinese Navy hospital ship Ark Silk Road, on the “Harmonious Mission–2025” mission, arrived in Barbados, beginning a seven-day friendly visit and the provision of medical services. This marks the second visit by a Chinese Navy hospital ship to Barbados, following the visit of the hospital ship Peace Ark in 2015.

More than 100 people, including the Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados and the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados, the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados and all embassy staff, as well as representatives of Chinese-funded institutions and the local Chinese community, welcomed the ship at the port.

Ambassador Zheng Bingkai spoke highly of the significance of the visit of the hospital ship Ark Silk Road. He noted that the return visit after a decade fully demonstrates China’s great importance attached to developing China–Barbados friendly relations and deepening cooperation in the field of medical and health care. The visit is an important manifestation of the continued deepening and solid progress of practical cooperation between the two countries, a true reflection of the friendship between the Chinese and Barbadian peoples, and a vivid illustration of the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. The visit will further enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples and deepen the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between China and Barbados.

During the visit, the hospital ship Ark Silk Road will give full play to its strengths as a mobile maritime medical platform, providing free multidisciplinary medical services to the people of Barbados, covering internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, dentistry, and other specialties. The hospital ship will also dispatch medical teams to local hospitals for professional exchanges, organize visits by officers and sailors to Barbadian military bases and joint medical and sports activities with the Barbados Defence Force, pay courtesy calls on Barbadian military and civilian leaders, and host a reception on board.